Cape Verde keeper Vozinha says World Cup fame has cost him his privacy

Pinned summary · as of 15:52

Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha says the fame that followed the 2026 World Cup has taken away his peace and much of his privacy. The 40-year-old became a talking point after his display in a goalless draw against Spain, and he now says he would go back to his earlier life if given the choice.

What we know

• Vozinha, who is 40, rose to prominence at the 2026 World Cup, starting with Cape Verde's 0-0 draw against Spain in their opening group match.
• Vozinha said the attention has left him without peace and tranquillity and with far less privacy than before.
• He said strangers in places such as restaurants ask him for photographs or autographs, or film him.
• Vozinha said many people long to be famous but see only the good side of it, and that he would pick his old life over his present one.
• The goalkeeper now plays for Colo-Colo in Chile, having moved from Portuguese second-tier side Chaves.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

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  Reports differ on how far his Instagram audience grew from roughly 56,000: The Ghana Report put it at more than one million shortly after the Spain match, while the Ghanaian Times said 28 million.
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  According to the Ghanaian Times, Vozinha did not concede against either Spain or Saudi Arabia, and Cape Verde went into the last 32 at their first World Cup before a 3-2 defeat by Argentina; this account of the run comes from that report alone.
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  The Ghanaian Times also reported that fans turn up daily at his mother's home in Cape Verde, that his family has been affected and that he feels unable to help from abroad; it said he told Britain's Observer newspaper, and no other report carries this.
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  The Ghana Report said Vozinha has kept playing for Cape Verde after first considering retiring from international football; no other report mentions this.

Why it matters for Ghana

Ghanaian football followers who watched the tournament may recognise the pressure that comes with a sudden rise to global attention, whether for players in the Black Stars or the Ghana Premier League. His account is a reminder that overnight fame affects families and daily routines as well as careers.